Careful not Casual

This week was pretty sparse lesson wise. We kinda dropped everyone and just focused on finding. It was fun for about 2 days and then we realized its really hard to find people. Per President Richardson's advice, we shifted our focus to working with members. This ward has some really cool people, I'm pretty grateful to serve here and be blessed by their examples. Had the opportunity to give a blessing yesterday, and it was pretty cool to see my ability to recognize spiritual impressions improve. I've been feeling so much peace lately-- it's pretty tangible. It's interesting because I don't feel like I've been super struggling or in need. Hopefully I'm not getting prepped for some big trial. There are things I wish were better, but I'm happy with my current spot. We've been focusing on teaching in unity, and it's been powerful to see the difference. "If ye are not one ye are not mine" (D&C 38:27.) 

Elder S. Gifford Nielson is visiting our mission this next week, so I'm super excited to hear from him. He played in the NFL apparently-- I'll see if I can subtly drop my college chess experience to impress him. We had stake conference this week and got to hear from President Richardson. He spoke about the law of common consent. He wrote the gospel topics essay on it. It's hard for me to understand exactly how I've been so blessed to learn from him. One of the members of our ward took his class at BYU and said he is the best teacher she's ever had. "He knows everything about the gospel." Crazy stuff. Our stake president spoke about how the majority of the Savior's ministry as we have it recorded is interactions with the downtrodden and marginalized. The woman at the well was the first to learn he was the Savior even though she had five husbands and was not married to the man she was currently living with. Matthew was the scum of Jewish society as a publican. Our stake president talked about how our stake should be a refuge-- a community for those who have no place. I hope that as our church continues to increase in prosperity and size, we don't deviate too far from the Savior's intent. It's hard to watch the 5 foolish virgins becoming easier to recognize. Living the gospel is not hard. It's so so important that we are all in, otherwise we will never be armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. God is the source of that glory-- only by increasing our proximity and likeness to Him do we obtain it. Maybe I'm a little bit jaded because it seems so easy as a missionary when you have nothing else to do, but I would encourage you to make your spiritual efforts a priority and not an afterthought-- to be careful and not casual. Whatever your burden or trial, it will become easier as you choose to increase your bond with the Savior because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He's real. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl 

Pour Out a Blessing

This week was good! The transfers are actually going quick these days. I wish we had more progressing people, but I don't regret how I've spent my time here. Growth is on discount out here and I'm picking up as much as I can. Mothers day was awesome! I forgot to fast last week so I fasted this week and it was a wonderful experience. Fasting is an interesting commandment, a modern day law of physical sacrifice. In choosing to be weak we gain greater access to God's strength. The principle here is fascinating. On my mission I give up a lot of things-- things that the world might consider give you greater strength. Google, books, entertainment and communication are some examples. As I've been cut off from these, my thoughts and my ability to change have been magnified. 

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them (Ether 12:27.)

Giving up my phone and my time and my entertainment has been a humbling experience. I will testify that His grace is sufficient for those that humble themselves before him, and that He wants to bless you! God doesn't sit on his hands when you are following His teachings. He immediately blesses you! If you want to experience specific blessings, increase your consecration to the law upon which those blessings are predicated. If you want to feel greater love, bridle your passions more. If you want less financial misery pay your tithing. I love you guys! So excited for my friends who are just starting their missions, Blake and Herc:) go crush it! 

-Elder Dahl

Children of the Most High

This week went by faster than any other in my current recollection. I'm starting to get what it means to submit. To be wholly and utterly not in control. It's frightening yet freeing. After coming to some realizations, I deleted Facebook, we do all our finding on computers here, so there's no need to have the app on my phone, and it's a time waster.

 

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Matthew 5:29).

Consecration is always a growth process and often a painful one. I'm still struggling with just the actual utility of the work I provide. I love the experience of the mission, but I'm still not super connected to the tangible results. Mormon writes about the sons of Mosiah and Alma that they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

I love my fellow men and desire their happiness in mortality and in eternity, but I'm also pretty accepting of rejection-- probably from my sales days. The people we're teaching have made some poor decisions and ultimately neither of our date sets are going to be baptized on their dates, if at all. Because I have come into the picture later, I don't feel a strong sense of sadness or heartbreak. My only goal these days is to make sure they are making an informed decision. What I love about being a missionary is that the gospel I preach applies to every single human soul. So anyone that is willing to engage and listen and act is elect in my mind, because the understanding of the doctrine transforms people from whatever state I find them in, to the earnest seeker. Seeking to be partakers of the divine nature, to be joint heirs with Christ and to ultimately be a child of the most High. God loves effort, and as is consistent with his character, he rewards it generously. I love the gospel, I love my Savior, I love you guys!

-Elder Dahl

He Is Risen

This week was good! We've been trying some more creative street contacting approaches. Nobody is really outside because the temperature is in the high 30s still. So we've been asking businesses if it's OK for us to proselytize on the premises or leave some literature. Most people aren't OK with the preaching, but they'll take a pamphlet, which is cool. I want to start holding street meetings where we stand on a box and preach but my companion isn't quite comfortable with that yet ;). We've been meeting with a few inactive or part member families. It's pretty tough for me. Sometimes they'll sign up to feed us, and I have no clue what they are wanting from us. I want to just ask people point blank why they're not coming to church or why they aren't baptized. It's hard to be a missionary covering a whole ward because I only have maybe 2 or 3 interactions with families. My first visit I'm just trying to build trust enough to get them to open up. It's a hard balance-- let me know if you have any advice. One of the most amazing things about being a member of the restored church is how high our knowledge of the Gospel is because of restored truths. I remember growing up and just assuming everyone understood the role of Gethsemane in the atonement. I realized pretty quickly that my understanding of the atonement was predicated mostly on teachings and not on the scriptures. It is so critical to close the gap from what we know and where it comes from. Not only do we share the good news that Jesus lives, but we understand what that enables us to do. The greatest truth restored is that God is our father! The purpose of this mortal sphere is to become like Him. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl

The Road Less Traveled

I got transferred this week to Apple Valley, it's pretty famous as being the only area in the mission with a Costa Vida. The ward is chill but not quite as amazing as Elk River. I'm still meeting people though. My new companion is Elder Blanco from Hawaii. He is a living testimony that everyone should go on a mission. It doesn't matter what you've done, get worthy and go! I always thought that growing up in Hawaii would be a dream, but we've talked a lot about how hard it is to make it there. All the wealthy people are mainlanders who have come and started businesses, usually in tourism. Because of so much outside money, it's almost impossible to change social classes if you stay on the island. 

I feel like that same principle applies to your testimony. It is very difficult to create significant change in either direction when you are stuck in the same environment. You may start out in middle class, but when your environment changes, it is likely you will either become spiritually stronger or weaker. The opportunity of a mission is the opportunity to develop your testimony into something strong enough to withstand the strongest winds. I think that is one of the reasons why we have transfers and new companions-- to keep putting yourself in new situations that give you the chance to grow. The mission is special because there is hopefully an expectation to grow. You can go to college and have the desire to grow, but you don't have nearly as much support or structure. It's like having a personal trainer vs a gym membership. The hardest part of being a missionary is going home. Going back to that old environment and testing your growth. Elder Blanco told me about when he went home after being at college. His friends were still doing the exact same things. They work at their jobs, and then go fishing and surfing. It's so tempting to fall into familiarity and cease progressing. I'm grateful I've had such formative experiences here. I love the gospel and the covenants I've made. I love you guys! Keep progressing!

-Elder Dahl

Like a Fire is Burning

This week Jacob got baptized! So proud of him. I don't have very much time to write, but this was the last week before transfers. I think I'll probably leave, but hopefully I stay. I love it here. Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes! I'm grateful to have lived so long. My birthday is April 3 which is the day Elijah and Moses and Elias appeared and gave keys to Joseph and others, and the Kirtland temple was accepted by Jesus Christ after the spirit was poured out upon the saints at the dedication a few days earlier.  

Remember your families this week as we prepare for Easter! The turning of the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children is right now! 

Love you guys! Happy Easter! He is risen! 

Hold to the Rod

What a week! So grateful for conference! Maybe it's just because I'm a missionary, but I felt like a lot of the talks were about missionary work. If you didn't watch conference please take time to do so. 

One of the larger themes I noticed was the discussion of Lehi's dream specifically as Nephi interprets the iron rod to be the word of God. In the dream there are numberless concourses of people pressing forward towards the tree of life, through a powerful mist of darkness. Their only reference point, a rod of iron. The vision states that "they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree." And another group "continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." I love the juxtaposition here. Some clung and then partook but others continually held fast and fell down and partook of the tree. Nephi, in praying to understand the vision, learns that the iron rod is the word of God. With this knowledge, the vision details that those who continually hold fast to their scripture study don't just end up partaking of the love of God, they fall down in awe of the gift it is because they have come to understand Him. Those that merely cling, however, taste the love of God and say, "huh, this is it?" And then "cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed." Why are they ashamed? Because they "know not the dealings of that God who has created them." Because they have a "form of godliness but deny the power thereof." This is scary stuff! These are the other five of the ten virgins who prepared their lamps but didn't have enough oil. They went through the motions but fell short of the goal. 

General conference is when we get to check in on how we view the word of God. Do we sleep through it? Or do we hold fast? What good is a prophet if we don't listen? It is so easy to be like those who "tasted of the fruit (and) they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost" (1 Nephi 8:28.) 

If you're not going to church, come back. If you aren't reading your scriptures, start. If you haven't watched conference, do it. There are no backup singers on the celestial stage. We learn that we will be judged according to our works and our desires. It is imperative to find out what your desires are and what you want them to be. If those are unified, wonderful! If they are not, be sure that you are taking steps to make them so! Otherwise, you deprive yourself of joy. The spiritual dissonance that occurs when the person we want to become is not the person that we're becoming is horrific. It is the cause of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It is damnation. I've felt it, I've been there. Yet just as exquisite as my pain was the joy in realizing that I could change! That's the power of the atonement. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to avoid this, I urge you to choose this day. Asking deep probing questions of yourself and confirming them with the Lord is a great place to start. Learn what is required to obtain your goal and start working! I don't think there is much paid time off in the heavenly economy. I'm so grateful that I made the choice to change, and for the savior who allowed me to do so! I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl